Diablo III: Lord of Apocalypse
by Grimm Gun
Summary: After the destruction of The Three Prime Evils, The Heroes who had slain them now face an enemy more powerful than the three before him. [Any and all potheads must read Chapter 6]
1. Tiring Heroes

Alright ladies and gentlemen, any and all things under the protection of international copyright laws that appear in this story are not mine. The only things I own in this story is the plot line and the made-up characters. So with that said I am pleased to present...

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**Diablo III: Lord of Apocalypse **

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Chapter one:Tiring Heroes

Twas just another night in Lut Gholein's quaint tavern, The Golden Jewel. Khali, the accountant and one of The Great Seven's former warriors, was seeing to the tavern's taxes and predicted income when he removed his spectacles because he sensed a disturbance in the pub. So when he went to go see to it he found a rather burley drunk harrassing Atma. He looked around to find that Geglash had a rather good reason for not helping Atma in the first place: he was passed out on his barstool. At this Khali sighed inwardly to himself and spoke to the brute. "I belive it would be a wise health decission to leave the lady be my good sir."

At this the brute looked up from Atma and in a rather grizzly voice said, "Yeah, and are you gonna fight me about it wimp?" a little angry that a skinny, white haired, weakling would challenge someone his size.

"Me?" Khali said pointing to himself, "Oh, good heavens no," he said laughing a bit, "However," at this point he walked over to a trapdoor in front of the bar, pulled it open to reveal the sand beneath the building. He then slipped his yew wand out out of his pocket, pointed it towards the earth and a golem made of rock came up and out of the trap door, "I think," Khali said, addressing the brute once more, "you'll find that my friend here would be more than happy to help you find the door."

Five minutes later, Fenrier, leader of the townguard former leader of The Great Seven and the greatest paladin Sanctuary has ever seen, was walking down the street when he saw a rather large man being thrown out of The Golden Jewel by a rock golem that said "**GROG GRILLA!**" and a second voice, belonging to Khali, coming from the tavern, saying, "He means: and stay out." The man then got up and ran past Fenrier, with a wet spot on his pants indicating where he had soiled himself. Fenrier then made his way into the tavern to find the air in the room a bit more tense as Khali lowered his creature back down into the earth. "Khali, what is the meaning of this?" Fenrier said in a calm yet annoyed tone of voice.

"He needed to leave, so I simply helped him through the door," Khali replied in a tone that made his actions seem as innocent as he stated them.

"You can't keep doing this," Fenrier said in an exasperated voice.

"Why not?" Khali said in a tone that clearly stated that he felt he shouldn't have to explain his actions.

"Because it completely undermines my purpose in this city."

"And that purpose is?" Khali said in a sarcastic tone, "Oh yes, wasting Jerhyn's gold on a task far from needing to be done!"

"That's enough of this!" said Atma lopping off the serpant's head before it could truly bite, "Besides, **Khali**, his job is infinantly more important than yours, oh great accountant," at this Khali turned a rather noticable shade of pink. She then turned towards Fenrier, "Besides, are **you** seriously going to arrest him for helping a poor old woman like myself?"

"Well...no," Fenrier admmited as if he was a child, being accussed of an untruth by a schoolmaster, "But it is my job to ke-"

"Then go out and do it instead of standing here and crying over spilt milk," Atma interrupted. Fenrier then shuffled out of the pub, the paladin's armor clanking louder than it would if he walked normally. Atma then rounded on Khali, "As for you, get into that backroom and make sure that I'm not wasting _my_ gold on_ you _for a task, as you put it for Fenrier, far FROM **NEEDING TO BE DONE!**"

Khali then, rather hurridly at that, went into the backroom out of fear for more than his job. Upon entering he got back in his chair and almost instantly slumpped over and fell asleep, which was odd considering the night was fairly young. Simultainiously outside Fenrier fell asleep against the outer wall of Fara's smithy.

"Hey, Tulwik," Charsi said to her husband, whilst rubbing her pregnated stomach from their room in the rouge monastary.

"Yes?" inquired Tulwik, former warrior of The Great Seven, fearocious barbaric battle commander andhusband to the rouge's most aspiring blacksmith, Charsi.

"Why don't we ever have Vash and Leera over? I mean we haven't seen them since they were wedded." Charsi was of course reffering to two of the other six warriors who banded together with her husband to defeat The Three Prime Evils and thus becoming known as The Great Seven. She brought them up because Tulwik, Vash and Leera that were the only ones left in Khanduras.

"Because we don't know where they are my dearest," the northlanding barbarian chuckling a bit at his wife's simplicity and innocence.

"Well last I heard they were in The Tamoe Highlands."

"Charsi, the countryside is still crawling with zombies, carver tribes and fowl crow. Now unless it's important, and not about inviting our friends over for diner, I won't go walking around out there aimlessly with the chance of being attacked."

Elsewhere, in The Black Marsh, a large group of carvers had converged to destroy the small village of Hallow's End. They were hidden by a rather large outcropping of rocks. Their leader, that had givin them so much confidence, was only in his position because he was as large as a regular adult human male. His name was Baldoor the tall.

Then one of the many shamens that followed under Baldoor's flag came up to speak with him, as the other subordanants prepared for the impending siege upon the town before them, "My lord, must we proceed upon this town?" asked the particulary ravaged shamen. For he had lost his left arm, his right eye, one of his horns were cracked, the other gone entirely and his chest bore many terrible scars. All of this apparent yet he never told his fellow demons how he came to bear these scars.

"Don't tell me _you_ belive these rumors of The Great Seven in Khanduras," Baldoor said addressing the shamen, in avoice close to a growl, "Even if they do travel through these lands they are no match against me or my power!"

"My lord!" the shamen cried in a state of alarm, "Me thinks it's time for you to hear of how I came to gain my apparent good looks," he than paused, remembering that fateful day, "We were assigned by the demoness Andariel to guard the sacred Carin Stones."

"Carin Stones?"

"Yes, they are the only other way to get into the town of Tristram other than the main road which was incredibly, heavily guarded, it was Diablo's will that the last of the Horadrim be left to rot in hopelessness and misery, and thus Tristram became his prison. Few knew about the stones and a priestess by the name of Akara was one of them. That **bitch** of a soothsayer practically lead them right to us! We were eighty strong that day and lead by one of our own with the powers of a mage. You'll notice today your force is near one-twenty, not much larger than our's was," the last statment had gianed an angered snarl from Baldoor, but the shamen took no notice. This was personified by him continuing his story without **begging **for forgivness when he offended Baldoor. "When the seven decended upon us they came in from different directions, so there was no escape. I was raveged by one of them masquerading as a werebear, Vash is what they called him. By the end of the battle I was the only one left. But they were nowhere near as powerful then as they are today. Which is why I emplore you that we move towards Westmarch and out of Khanduras."

Baldoor then took this into consideration and then said, "It's a shame."

"What is my lord?"

"That this would happen to a studied shamen like yourself."

"Don't worry, for one day I shall take my vengance."

"No, it's not about your injuries. It's about this," Baldoor then unsheathed his sword and ran it through the shamen's remainig eye until only the hilt could be seen. He then took the the blade out and leaned in close, so the shamen could hear clearly with his dying breath, "Should I meet you in hell, we will continue this." He then used his sword to behead the unfortunate creature before him. Baldoor then got up and went to the only exit and entrance to the shelter (or death trap) of the outcropping, for the outcropping was mostly made of smooth, high rockwalls in allmost a complete circle except for a path through which only three at a time could travel through. "THE TIME FOR THIS TOWN TO FALL IS AT HAND!" this had gained many cheers from his men, "ONWARD TO VICTORY!"

"ONWARD TO VICTORY!" Baldoor's men had mimicked. Then suddenly an arrow came over the wall opposite the exit and before it hit a mark it split into eight, resulting into five causualties and a panic. Whilst the panic insued and a pile up at the exit began, none of the cavers noticed living vines covered in thousands of poisonous miniscule barbs coming out of the ground. Many carvers tripped over these and died before they could get back up. By that time, ravens had joined the fight, they would come down out of the sky and peck a carver to death before disappearing once more into the inky black sky, making it impossible to tell how many there actually were. Those fortunate enough to make it past the vines, the ravens and the steady stream of arrows that rained death were met with a much more brutal fate. For at the end of the path were ten wolves, five grizzly bears and, what the other beasts seemed to be controled by, a werebear.

All had died except for two carvers, one who was as large as an adult, human male. Baldoor was amongst the last to make it out of outocropping's walls, he barely made it past the beasts on the outside. For three wolves took pursuit of him and one of his men who followed him out of thet maw of that hell hole.Fortunatunately for him they were distracted by his subordinate, when Baldoor tripped him. Baldoor was nearing the shelter of the forest when out of the corner of his eye he saw a woman, amazonian by the looks of her, was giving feeble chase with bow and arrow in hand. She then stopped, took aim and fired an arrow. But Baldoor saw it coming from a mile away (which oddly enough they was about that same amount of distance between them). When the arrow was a few feet from him, he ducked and let the arrow pass over him. He then jumped to his feet, and continued to his mad dash for his life. That was until the arrow he just evaded came back the other way. It went into his chest, through his heart and out of his back. Thus, that was the end of Baldoor the tall.

"This was actually a good haul," said an Amazonian warrior by the name of Leera, who was former secondary commander of The Great Seven and wife to Vash, one of the greatest druids Sanctuary has ever seen, also formerly of The Great Seven. At the moment Lerra was gathering up all the decent weapons she had set aside whilst gathering up the bodies to burn them,"Ooh, this should fetch a fair price," she said whilst throwing a gemmed double edged ax onto the cart she found.

"Yeah, they actually had food that's edible," said Vash said finishing the rest of a hen he found roasting rather nicely on a spit(he had already sent his animals to find their own meals), "Question."

"Yes dear?"

"Why don't we just do the whole retirement thing? You know, settle down, build a house in the countryside, have kids, tea, cakes and all that other junk."

"Why? I mean that's for bitter, assholic bastards like Khali. Besides," she said as she picked up a gold, green tinted ring with a pine green emerald on it and putting it on her left index finger, "the spoils of victory are a beutiful thing. Plus there's always the ever apparent _throughs of passion_ that comence after a fierce, life threatening battle."

"Really?"

"Oh yes...BEAT YOU TO THE OUTSIDE!" With that the two ran towards exit, undressing as they ran. But before they could reach the outer walls they fell down asleep. Which was strange considering the battle was like child's play to them and nowhere near exausting. Oddly enough at that same moment Tulwik fell down asleep upon the threshold of his room when he was leaving to "releave" himself.

"What I don't understand, Moontear, is why you would willingly work for a decrepit, old alchemist such as myself," Alkor said as he sat down to continue his conversation and incredibly bitter tea (this is before sugar) with his employee, having just closed up the shop for today.

"Nonsense Alkor, buisness has been booming since you created the Volcano potion. I mean we get thirty Iron Wolves in here a day to buy it. Not to mention all the other merchants and adventurers who clamour for it," said Moontear, taking a sip of her tea. Moontear was formerly of The Great Seven, a highly adept sorceress and currently the employee of the month for Alkor's Amazing Potions and Elixers (which was easy considering she was the only employee). The shop was located in lower Kurast

"Coming to them why didn't you join the Iron Wolves like Ishami did?" Ishami was the last member of The Great Seven.

"Well I could never be comfortable being a mercenary. Because when my friends and I destroyed the three, I did it to help those in dire need, rather than for fame or glory. Those were just perks," she uttered the last sentence under her breath, for the shear sake of modesty. "Where is Ishami tonight anyway?"

"Oh, I belive that she, Asheara and a few of the other Wolves are out looking for that band of very expeidiant theives that has been terrorizing the nothern parts of Kurast as of late."

Meanwhile in the jungle, just north of Kurast, the thieves had just struck again. They were now being pursued by the Iron Wolves mercanaries, unfortunately the theives were extremly fast. Plus they knew everything about the main paths and a lot about the hidden ones making it incredibly hard to maintain pusuit. By the time the theives finally came to their hideout the was only three people who were able to keep up. Asheara, leader of the Iron Wolves mercenanaries, one of her subordinates and Ishami, formerly of The Great Seven and assassin extrordinair.

Ishami then thought about what they were doing and stopped herself and her companions from continuing. "I'll go in first," she said in a hushed voice, "to see what we're up against."

"Why?" said the wolf subordinate, "I mean with you here, there's no way in hell we can be harmed, no matter how many they have."

His statment had gained a rather cynical laugh from Ishami, "Forgive me if you think me rude but, you, regretibly, are an ass! Ever since I began to study the martial arts, I have never once underestamated my opponent or adversary, ever. From the greatest of demons to the smallest of insects, I treated them all as my greatest adversary without hesitation, because many times over that was the cold hard truth. So you may be foolish enough to belive that I'd take an arrow for you, but belive me when I say that you shall travel down the road to the west long before I do, if you continue this way of thinking. So stay here and come if I should call for help, if it is not too strenuos for you to comprehend!"

Ishami then proceeded into the cave. Upon leaving tunnel and entering the main chamber she was appauled at how long these men and women had avoided justice 'til now. The fools didn't even **feebly** try to hide their ranks, which was a pathetic twenty. She then thought of how to easily gain the two-hundread gold piece reward, with little to no blood spilt. All she needed to do was get a good look at their eyes and their weapons. So she used a technique called The Mental Hammer to blowout the bonfire, delving the room in total darkness.Ishami of course anticipated this and, through years of training she could see in colors even if things were completely pitch black. After looking them up and downwithout making a single noise, an amazing feat in it's own right, she went to the back of the chamber satisfyed with her results.

The first thing she took quick notice of were the eyes, not one of them had the look of a killer in them. Also the pathetic state that their weapons were in suggested that they weren't the greatest of warrior's, because an adept warrior takes as much care of their weapon as they do themselves, espeacially if they _are_ their weapon. Also through their weapons she could tell that they're not used to going _toe to toe_ with anyone, the manner in which they runaway when spotted only seconded this. But what had truly saved them was their age, not one of them was a day over twenty-two, making them all far too young to die.

By the time the theives could get the fire going again, Ishami, was more than prepared incase things should get violent. She had her twin catclaws ready in a fighting stance almost impossible for even those that have mastered many fighting styles to detect. She had her protective warmask pulled over her face, for people recognized her quicker with it on than without it. Also she had many firetraps in place, poised to go off incase things should take a turn for the worst, the amount of flame would incinerate everyone in the chamber, including herself.

"That was weird," said one of the bandits, " what blew it out?"

"Don't know," said another.

"It was me," said Ishami, stepping into the light of the fire. The fear in their eyes was instant and apparent. "I trust you all know why I am here, keep in mind that you have annoyed me enough by running away from me and my associates, so please try not to give me any more reason to slaughter you all without mercy." Her voice was as cold as ice, but gave no sign of anger, but more of discontent. However her message was obviously the truth all the same.

"Please forgive us my lady!" cried one of the women sobbingly, her eyes ripe with tears, "We haven't harmed anyone, I swear it! Please spare us!"

"Save your tears!" Ishami spat out, her voice filled with malecontent, "If I had wanted you dead you would never, even remotely, have had the chance to plead for your life. Therefore I am not going to kill you unless you give me just reason to. Since it is quite dark outside, we shall travel in the morning."

Ishami then brung Asheara and the wolf subordinate into the cave to await dawn. She also redirected all the traps to kill them all if someone should try to leave before she undid them at dawn, she of course made sure everyone had known about this. This was after she set many traps to keep anything from entering the chamber, alive that is.

"So since you got them to come along quietly, I guess I can do you the courtesy of keeping watch for you." Asheara said to Ishami as she was coming back from telling the theives about the traps that were in place.

"I thank you for the offer, but I must say that I respectfully, decline," said Ishami, sitting down next to Asheara, "Besides, I'm not tired."

"Really?" Asheara's voice ripe with skepticism.

"I assure you that I can stay awake for this and the eight following fortnights."

"Yeah, sure, of course."

"I'll have you know tha-," and with that Ishami slumped over and fell asleep in Asheara's lap. Elsewhere, Moontear fell asleep facefirst on the table in Alkor's. This had severely worried the old alchemist, for they did work with extremly volitile potions.

So that's the first chapter and incase you were wondering, no they are not naceleptic. For if you read the next chapter all will be revealed. So until then KEEP ON ROCKIN AND REVIEWIN, 'CAUSE I'LL HANDLE THE ROLLING!


	2. Demonic Rising

**Shoutouts: To Avatar of Fyre:** Thank you for actually reading the story and good luck on your future fic.

**To Salem'sDarkness:** It's cool that your my 1st reviewer and I wasn't exactly thinking about any particular necromancer nudity, but thanks...I think.

**To everyone: **Thank you for your support and as you wish, here's the second update. Also if I haven't given you a shoutout it's because my email screwed up and I wasn't alerted to your review.

Chapter two: Demonic rising

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The first thing thing Khali was aware of was the fact that he was on his back, nowhere near The Golden Jewel. He was in his armor, the same armor in which he'd slain the three in, also he was holding his wand and zombiehead, plus he knew that he was not alone. When he jumped to his feet ready to curse the first thing that moved, he saw that his friends had all come to a similar solution, because the sharp end of Tulwik's warhammer was looming too close to the eyehole of his bonehelm.

"Alright," said Leera, carefully choosing her words, as she, and the others, lowered their weapons, "who exactlly called this little get together? Because this sure as hell isn't The Black Marsh." Her words were true, dead to rights, because all around them they saw nothing but pitch black darkness, the only they saw eachother was because they were illuminated by some unknown light above them.

"I did hero and with every fiber of my being I wish I didn't have to," said a very familier voice above them, that struck immense dread into the very souls of the seven.

"Tyrael!" cried Fenrier, quickly dropping to his knees, beliving, as always, that he didn't yet deserve to look upon the archangel without permission, being a man of incredible faith.

"Rise hero," said Tyrael, as the seven gathered in a semi-circle around the archangel as he set foot upon the floor that the seven were standing upon, "I, to my most intense dismay, must inform you that Sanctuary is in immense danger once more. Again the forces of hell have gathered under a great force."

"The prime evil's HAVE** RETURNED!**" Vash spat out in a growl much like a wolf's.

"Dear god, no!" cried Moontear.

"Is this true Tyrael?" inquired Ishami.

"Yes indeed, is it true?" echoed Khali.

"Unfortunatly, it isn't. For if it were, you might at least have more knowledge of what your facing, rather than going into this terrible battle blindly. For the enemy you face is far more dangerous than the three."

"It dosen't matter, since we're gonna crack his skull open anyways, so why even bother to find out his name."

"...Perhaps I should show you," said Tyrael. Suddenly the void they were standing in transformed into The World Stone chamber. It was showing the last bit of the battle between The Lord of Destruction and The Great Seven. They were at opposite ends of the platform leading to the stone. It was obvious that both sides had sustained severe damage in the battle and final blow was soon to be struck. Then a sudden wicked smile touched Baal's mouth, it was then replaced with a pucker that looked as if he were about to kiss someone and his hand began to make a strange circular motion.

This had stirred Fenfeir's memomry to a barbarian warrior who was recovering from a severe injury he had gained during the slaughter at The Gate Fortress of Shesherom. He described Baal making similar actions, the wind whipping up and around in a frenzy until their general, that had gone beyond the safety of the walls to confront Baal face-to-face, suddenly blew apart. Fenrier simply thought the man mad, but now he knew better.

"Tulwik!" Fenrier shouted, as he threw down his heraldric sheild and grasping his two-hand sword tighter in his other hand, "Throw me!"

Reacting more so on impulse than thought, Tulwik dropped his twin warhammers, grasped Fenrier's outstreached hand and, with all his might, flung him towards The Lord of Destruction just as the wind began to pick up around the seven heroes.

Just then, everything seemed to slow down incredibly for Fenrier. He grasped his sword tightly in both of his hands now, flying directly at the head of the wretched creature that opposed them. As Fenrier drew near The Lord of Destruction the demon's hand made an abrupt movement and Fenrier felt a terrible force surge past him. But it was to little, to late, for when the force came halfway across the platform, Fenrier was close enough and...**SHINK!**, he beheaded the malevolent demon known as Baal.

"This seems incredibly pointless," said Khali, as Tyrael decended upon the seven and The Worldstone Chamber began tear itself apart at the seams. For the real Great Seven, along with the actual Tyrael, had watched the scene play itself out, for what they saw was an illusion of what was an actual event that had taken place months ago.

"No kidding, I see this shit enough in my nightmares, in different shades and outcomes too." Leera muttered.

"Yeah, but at least you don't wake up in a cold sweat of blood," said Moontear.

"Not that I'm nitpicking, but can we stick to buissiness hear?" questioned Vash, who obviously wanted to get through this uncomfortable gathering as quickly as possible, espeacially since seeing Baal again got his nerves on highend. So with that the seven continued to watch the events that had already unfolded.

The seven, who would soon be known in songs and stories as The Great Seven, marched slowly and painfully through the portal. Once Leera finally dissapeared through it, Tyrael sealed the portal and adressed himself to other matters. He went to Baal's body, at least the part with legs, and took Baal's soulstone from what was the remainder of his neck. Slipping the stone into his robes, Tyrael then turned towards The Worldstone, walked to the end of the platform, unsheathed his sword from deep within his robes and flung it at The Worldstone. The sword then imbedded itself deep into the stone that had become irreversibly corrupt under the influence of hatred, rage, cruelty, destruction and, above all else, evil.

As The Worldstone began to break apart and explode, Tyrael opened another portal and went through it himself. The chamber then turned itself into The Pandamodium Fortress. Never being much for conversation, Tyrael sped past all who resided in the god-forsaken and deeper into the bowels of Hell. He moved with unimaginable speed, 'til he reached The Hell Forge. He then removed Baal's soulstone from his robes, placed it upon the forge, took up The Hell Forge Hammer and smashed the acursed stone. It's pieces then fell to the ground amongst it's brothers and ceased to glow. "For several years," began the real Tyrael, as the illusioned Tyrael became lost from sight, "I returned to the forge, to see to it that nothing..._unusual_ happened. Until recently the world passed on, much as it should have...until."

A flayer demon appeared from behind a rock large enough to hide it's diminuative form and came up to the forge, the seven wondering of what importance could a lowly demon such as this serve. That was until they saw the flayer begin to devour the Soulstone shards one-by-one, this action had gained several audiable gasps, groans, and growls from the seven, as Tyrael simply looked on in solem silence. Once the last piece went down the flayer's throat a most horrendous change began to take place. Body parts, human and otherwise, began to spream forth from it's body and shrink back just as quickly, twice it had turned completly insideout (this had strewn many organs across the ground). The unfortunate creature screaming all the while as the immensly painful changes came forth upon it. For at that moment, he suffered more intensly than anyone creature should suffer.

When his body had finally set into an actual form, the flayer had turned into a human form. The demon's human body was rather humble actually, his eyes only came up to Tulwik's shoulder, he wasn't exactly muscle bound either, he had lengthy inferno smoke black hair, his skin was extremly pale, he wore a long black robe as well as a broad black hat tthat only made him seem smaller, it also cast a impenatreble black shadow went halfway down his nose. The only dangerous feature about him were the eyes, which would glow, constantly changing, sinister shades of: red, blue and yellow, the flag colors of The Three Prime Evils.

Tyrael, the fake one, came down out of the sky, sword in hand, and was preparing for a powerful, downward vertical strike. The demon countered this by slipping a two-handed sword out of his left sleeve and slashing horizantily right. Tyrael dogged this by twisting upward and out of the blade's way, however the force of the blade, even without touching him, sent him skipping across The River of Flame, like so many flat stones across a lake. Tyrael had stopped dead in the air, after the ninth skip and sped towards the demon once more, by this time the demon held two swords. All through the course of the battle, as things grew more and more fierce, Tyrael had not struck a single blow.

As the battle took it's worst turn yet, Hell turned once more into the black void that it had begun as. "Dear god," Fenrier finally let out heavily, as the battle ceased, "Tyrael, does this thing have a name other than pure evil?"

"He calls himself, Diabra, Lord of Apocalypse," Tyrael answered gravly.

"I don't understand!" cried Moontear "Why can't the forces of Heaven fight this evil and not us."

"Or better yet," said Khali, tiring of silence, "why couldn't Heaven help us with the Three the first time 'round."

"Because," Tyrael began, "ever since the end of the world's creation, God seldom awakens. He had left many rules that we were to live by 'til he awakened once more. If any were to be broken, everything, everywhere, would be cast into darkness, undone and destroyed. I have, many times over, come close to doing this, by helping mortal man. Yet I fear not, for here I am facing the same decision that I always have: to decide whether or not to help the father's favorite children. And the answer is the same as it always has been: I see man, as cast in the name of God, not guilty, therefore I can do no other than help him. So now, heroes, you have your choice to make: shall you let the world be cast into darkness or shall good prevail? It is your choice so I shall leave it to you."

After several moments of silence Fenrier finally spoke, "Even if I should walk this road alone, I shall see to it that good, not evil shall rule this day and all days TO **COME!**"

"If you should walk this path alone, then I shall walk it with you," said Khali sternly, placing his hand on Fenrier's shoulder, "I offer you my wand, my mind, my alligence and my life."

"I offer you my staff, my courage, my alligence and my life," said Moontear, stepping forth.

"I offer you my hammers, my strength, my alligence and my life."

"I offer you my bow, my speed, my alligence, and my life."

"I offer you my ax, my craft, my alligence and my life."

"I offer you my blades, my silence, my alligence and my life," Ishami said finally.

"As I to you... my friends, neigh, my family," answered Fenrier.

"Very well then, I bid you good luck, for without it you are lost," said Tyrael. Then everything faded from sight for the seven.

Sight slowly crept back into the eyes of Khali. He found that he was once again in his normal clothing and on his mat, in his room above The Golden Jewel. He was being watched very closely by Atma and the reawakend Geglash. "Atma?" said Khali.

"Yes?"

"We've got trouble."

x x x

So that's the second update and probaly the only one for a while. Because as you know school has started. So as always KEEP ON ROCKIN AND REVIEWIN CAUSE I'LL HANDLE THE ROLLING!


	3. Departure

**Shoutouts:To Avatar of Fyre: **Yes he is a pain in the ass (at least he is for me), but I guess I did make Tyrael sound a bit preachy didn't I? As for Pluckeye, I'll see what I can do, but my advice is not to rub it.

**To Talyn:** Thanks and you do a good job of reminding me. As for my grammatical errors, I was never exactly known for my neat writting style.

**To everyone:**Even though none of you asked for it (bastards), and against my better judgement I made another update. It goes as follows...

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Chapter Three: Departure

"Are you sure that they'll be here before we depart?" Decker Cain asked Tulwik, as his belongings were being loaded into the oxcart that would take them east. It was two mornings after the gathering had taken place.

"In all the years that _you,ve_ known them, have you ever known Vash and Leera to be late?" Tulwik questioned, this gaining him an "are you serious" look from the horadric sage. "I mean when it was this important."

"If indeed the threat is real," Cain mutered under his breath. Tulwik of course heard this and gave Cain a fierce look.

"Well you have to look at it from our point of view dear," Charsi said having heard Cain's comment as well, she was coming out of the monastary, loading a few more supplies into the cart, "You, as far as we know, are the only one who knows about this.

"Then how do you explain all the transport portals closing up," Tulwik said exasperated. For it was true, all four portals in the rouge monastary and out in the fields had closed up for some reason. This had severely restricted the speed at which travel could be made. Hence they we're traveling on this particular caravan.

"True, there is no real reason for which the portals would close, but jumping to conclusions is not the answer." said Cain. Because the cold fact of nature was, that if Tulwik was right, then his chances for suurvival were slim to none if he traveled on this crusade with the barbaric battle commander.

Then, for some reason, Tulwik suddenly went frigid, he sniffed the air and a smile curved his face, "Here they come." After a minute or so Leera came barreling out of the woods riding a werewolf loaded down with two large chests, followed by ten wolves, five grizzly bears, five ravens, and a vine creature. "It's good to see you on normal terms my friends," Tulwik said, as Leera dismounted Vash.

"**Normal!**" exclaimed Leera, as Tulwik pulled her into a huge hug, "I'd hate to see it when things are just plain flatout weird."

"Actually I'd prefer it," Vash broke in, after returning to his human self and saying hello to Charsi and Cain, "Because then we aren't facing almost certain death. So do you still have them?" he asked Tulwik, as he made his way to the cart.

"Do you think that I'd sell them?" Tulwik asked, taking mock offense, "Who do you think I am, your wife?"

"_Ha ha. Ver-ry fun-ny_," Leera said annoyed, checking the cart with her husband. "Here they are," she said, handing him his gemmed ax and large sheild. The shield was gold of course, but as for the ax, the blade was green and the hilt blue. For it was socketed with a perfect sapphire and a flawless emerald, not only allowing him to chill his opponent by stricking with it, but poison as well.

"So it's true then," Cain said to no one in particular, worry and fear all too apparent on his face.

"What are you so worried about gramps?" Leera said, annoyed wiih Cain's miserable mood, "We're the ones goin' off to fight this freak."

"Leera!" Vash exclaimed jokingly, "Have you no respect for your elders?"

"I guess not."

"That's enough of this," Tulwik cut in, "Charsi, make sure these two quit picking on Cain, I need to get the oxen and hitch 'em up."

"Why are you going to wed two oxen," Leera asked jokingly

"He likes to watch the wedding night," Vash cut it in, this had gained a round of laughter from everyone, except Cain, who only meekly smilied, but quickly returned to his thick haze of thought.

When Tulwik had disappeared around the bend of the outer wall of the monastary, Charsi turned to Vash and Leera. "Would you two mind helping me get a few more supplies onto the cart?" she asked.

"Sure."

"I don't see why not."

So the three of them entered the monastary supply room, gathering up potions, water, arrows and dried-out meats. As they were heading to the cart with the last of the supplies, when Charsi stopped them all dead in their tracks and had them set the stuff down. Then Leera noticed something that she had not noticed before, that tears had begun to well up in Charsi's eyes.

"Vash? Leera?" Charsi began, "I'm going to tell you something Tulwik has no knowledge of. Instead of siring one child, he has sired two. I do not want our children to age without knowing the love of their father. I know I mustn't hope for his return to be swift, so I simply wish for it to. So can you promise me that my husband will ever return?"

The words were incredibly painful to listen to. Vash and Leera both wanted to sooth the blacksmith. They wanted to say all the things that would make her not worry every waking and subconsious moment. Worried about her husband, not knowing if her husband has laid down for the last time or if he were unfortunate enough to wake at dawn to face more and more evil which threatens to drive him mad. However much they wanted to, they could not bring themselves to say three little words: _he, will, return._ But instead they said in unison, "We will try."

Charsi then fought back her tears, picked up her load, the other two following suit, and continued. When they got outside they saw that the oxen were ready, many of those going with the caravan had converged at the gate, Tulwik was leaning against the cart, Cain was already the passenger seat, assuming Tulwik was driving, Leera and Vash would sit with the cargo.

After putting the last of the supplies seccurly away, Charsi went up to Tulwik, holding something behind her back. "When you said you were going with the next eastward caravan," Charsi began, "I made you this," she then showed the quilted armor she was holding behind her back. Tulwik knew that this was more for sentiment than practical use, at least it looked that way. "Now before you say anything I made it so that it's twice as strong as a regular one and it'll easily fit under your full plate."

"Speaking of which, we shouold get our armor on, incase of bandits." Vash cut in.

"Ya know, any other time if you said that, I'd say you'd be acting like a chicken, but now, bandits are startin' to sound like an actual threat," Leera said.

So after placing their armor on, Tulwik took out a hankerchif with a strange symbol on it, profusly wiped his forehead with it, walked towards his wife and said, "Charsi...if I should fall, and I'm sure Tyrael will come on swift wings to tell you if so, then I want you to head north for Mt. Arreat. There my my people will protect you as best as they can." He then handed her the hankerchif and said, "If they should doubt your authenticity as my wife, show them this. It bears the symbol that addorns my flags in battle, it also bears my scent so try to refraim from washing it." Before she could say anything else, he pulled her into a deep embrace, leaned in close and whispered into her ear, "Keep them safe, because if I return, make sure I have something worth returning to."

"How did you-"

"Shh, I'll tell you when I return home. I love you."

"I know you do and I love you with the intensity of a thousand burning suns."

He then donned his assault helm, got onto the cart, took the reigns, and started the cart off towards the already mobile caravan.

"So what cha gonna call it?" Leera asked Tulwik, an hour or so down the road.

"Call what?" Tulwik inquired.

"The armor Charsi gave ya,"

"Are you serious?" Vash asked his wife.

"Well are you Tulwik?" Leera shot back.

"No."

"Well then. Tulwik, what are you going to call it?"

"What else," Tulwik asked, "...but Charsi's Love."

"If there is anything that I would not lamment being rid of, it's the Twin Seas." Ishami told Moontear, from the deck of Meshief's ship, The Twin Sails, after once again vommiting.

"You know, if you'd let me perform a simple spell or two, I could take care of that seasickness for you." Moontear told her.

"When I was younger, I had a Zan-Esu sorceress, much like yourself, try to take care of some my alergies. Instead of not having a scratchy throat, for a week, I had growling, green hives sprout out all around my body. So with that in mind, what makes you think I'd let you or any of your quick-cure spells near me."

"Alright, all I'm sa-," wha**CHINK!**, "...What in the hell was that?"

Ishami then looked over the edge of the ship, saw things with the torso and upperbody of a human, but the tail of a fish, who were carring javelins. She also saw the evidence of one of their javelins imbedded into the side of the hull. It seemed to be created from rock, coral, and the greenish-yellow bladder of some kind of sea creature thinly stretched across the tip. "Merpeople," she said, "We're fighting merpeople." wha**CHINK! **(A/N: If your a bit confussed, you should know that mermaids are the **female** of the species, they're collectivly called merpeople.)

"But aren't they beings of peace?" wha**CHINK!**

"Yeah," wha**CHINK!** "So were the saber cats and remember what we saw back in the desert?" wha**CHINK! **wha**CHINK!**

"What the hell's going on up here?" said an shocked and irritated Mesheif said, comming above deck. wha**CHINK!** "And why are there javelins comming through my ship's hull?"

"We are, currently, being attacked," Ishami said. wha**CHINK!** "Can you patch up the holes the javelins are making?" wha**CHINK!** wha**CHINK!** wha**CHINK!**

"Yes-" wha**CHINK!** "-but if this keeps up-" wha**CHINK! **wha**CHINK!** "-our supplies to do so will-" wha**CHINK** "-quickly be used up." wha**CHINK! **wha**CHINK!**

"Alright" Moontear began, wha**CHINK! **"Let's get the cannons-" wha**CHINK!** "-into place."

wha**CHINK! **"No," Ishami cut in, "They'll be too quick-" wha**CHINK!** "-for that."

"Well-" wha**CHINK!** "-what do you think we should-" wha**CHINK!** "do?"

wha**CHINK!** "What _I'm_ going to-" wha**CHINK!** wha**CHINK!** "-is go down there-" wha**CHINK!** "-and kill them all!" wha**CHINK!** "At least until you come-" wha**CHINK!** "-up with a better plan." wha**CHINK!** Ishami then donned her weapons and armor, then dived over the edge of the deck, leaving Moontear to sit and think of how to end this battle quickly, as Mesheif and his crew saw to the holes.

Ishami had to wait a few seconds, whilst under water, for the special lenses on her mask, that Khali had made for her, to adjust before she could see. When she could, she had just enough time to swim under three oncoming javelins and even less time to dodge the one coming behind her. The proof of this is from the small cut she now bore on he right shoulder . Knowing that taking the defense would only end up in her premature burial, she took the offense by using a technique called burst of speed, took a quick count of her opponents, which was fifteen, and rushed claws forward at her nearest opponet (which was below her). Her speed had surprised her attackers. So much so, that she was able to drive her catclaws into the head of a second victim before the shock subsided. They were now prepared for her speed, however Ishami had a few more tricks and she make sure that her enemies wouldn't soon forget them.

She made an obvious frontal attack on a third opponent.So much so that the merman she was attacking easwily disarmed her, pushed her back and took aim. He was about to throw his javelin when he felt a pair of catclaws go into his back, for Ishami's foolish actions were only a distraction so her enemys wouldn't see that she used the Shadow Mastery technique and made a copy of herself from her very own shadow. She then used the move Dragon Wing, to teleport herself behind the mermaid who had foolishly taken her catclaws, and broke it's neck.

After all enemys were dispatched, Ishami suddenly felt her right arm go limp. She quickly looked at the cut she got at the first of the battle, she saw that all around it her skin had turned a mixed shade of black and green, with a purple sort of foam comming out of the wound, the skin around had begun to swell horrendously. She looked at other cuts she had gotten through the course of the battle and saw that they too had begun to take on the same effect. She then saw that the first fifteen enemies were only a ploy to wear her down, for she now saw that more than forty others had been lying in wait.

Her enemies threw serveral javelins at Ishami, which her copy, fortunatly, took, by swiming in the way of them.

"Sorry to do this to you," Moontear said, as she took aim at Ishami, with her staff. Moontear's staff then released a bolt of lightning into the sea, electrafying the water.

Ishami felt the painful surge of energy and looked up to see Moontear beckoning her towards the deck. So with all she could muster up, Ishami burst through the surface of the water and went up as high as she could. As she felt herself falling towards the water again, she imbedded her left catclaw into the side of the hull, just as a small ring of fire appeared on the water's surface.

Moontear casted her tenth Comet spell just as soon as her first comet hit the water, pretty soon all of the water around the ship was boiling profusly. She waited in for a few minutes, waiting to see if her plan had worked or not. Her answer soon came when the dead body of a merman, broke the waters surface, this was soon joined by others.

It wasn't until all bodies were acounted for, when Ishami called for a ladder. Meanwhile, overhead, a vulture demon watched the entire battle play itself out. Upon seeing which side was the victor, it zoomed off, at an unnatural speed, towards some unknown destination

"What was that?" Fenrier said to Khali.

Khali then looked out towards desert to see what resembled a female angel, "It's just a false light demon. Nothing to worry about...least not for me, you however are a different matter."

**shink!** "Well I better go take care of it," Fenrier said, taking out his sword. (A/N: don't say shit, ya smart ass bastards). "You see, unlike your job, my job actually _is_ important."

"Whatever... it's your ass, not mine," Khali said, heading towards Fara's smithey. "I'm going to get my splint mail redone, so please try to refraim from doing any of the stupid things you tend to do without someone watching you or holding your hand while I'm gone,"

Fenrier then set out to dispose of the demon that could easily lead wayward travelers and foolish paladins to their very enslavement or death. When he finally reached it, he realised his mistake, that it was all a trap and he was stupid enough to fall for it. Then out of the ground came several mummies, however they took on the look of his friends as well as his family _figures_ (A/N: Fenrier and Khali are both orphans), not just the others of The Great Seven, but also of Atma, Jehryn, Akara, Hratli, and others. It was a hard enough for anyone who had gone through the horrors that he had to do this, it was only made harder by the fakes begging him to stop and their anguished screams as they tried to rip him limb-from-limb.He knocked down three enemies, by charging them with his sheild, then turned around to crush Gheed's skull with the hilt of his sword. He took out another five by muttering the sutra for the Zeal attack. However, no matter what attack, sutra induced attack and aura he used his enemies just kept rising again. And more were still coming. He would surely die because of the overwhelming amount of enemies, not to mention that they were unnaturally strong. Simply put; he couldn't do it alone. He had resorted to simple meele attacks, because he had drained all of his mana earlier in the battle, and as he was about to swing his sword downward into the shoulder of Jehryn when he suddenly shatter into a thousand small pieces of ice.

"I thought I told you not to do anything stupid, " the real Khali said, fighting alongside his minions through the hoard of the undead. "Can you cast a thorns Aura?"

"No I don't," Fenrier said exhaustedly.

"Tome of Town Portal?" Khali said, flicking his wand, cursing many enemies with the Iron Maiden.

"No, and what about yours?" said Fenrier, beheading Asheara.

"It's probably lying around in my room somewhere!" Khali criedout in annoyance, for Atma, many times over, had badgered him about the untidyness of his room, except for his case which contained all of his weapons and armor, except for his wand which he always carried with him. "Drink this," Khali ordered Fenrier, handing him a flask of mana potion.

Fenrier quickly drained the flask in one gulp and threw it aside. He then pressed the blade of his sword to his sheild and cried, "**VIGOR!**" Aura symbols appeared around his and Khali's feet. They, with their newfound speed then rushed away from the battle, leaving twin tails of dust in their wake. Mean while, overhead, yet another vulture demon sped off.

"My lord?" asked an unfortunate corrupted rouge, she was sent to tell Diabra, Lord of Apocalypse, about the failed assassinations.

"Yes?" Diabra inquired.

"It appears that our attemps have failed." At these words, Diabra's rather brooding personality worsend.

"As for our search for _them_?"

"We, as of yet, have not found any of them." the rouge said quite fearfully. Diabra then bent his head so the broad brim of his hat hid his glowing eyes, it looked as if he was in deep thought...or deep depression.

As the rouge made her way out of the room, Diabra called her back and said, "You're in great fortune, for tonight you shall get to _entertain_ me." At this the rouge proceeded to remove her clothes. "Wait...try doing it like _this_," blood then began to poor profusly from the rouge's eyes, ears, mouth and other places, until she was bone dry.

x x x

I was going to have a part where Vash, Leera and Tulwik attacked, but I decided not to write it, so please don't review too badly. So as always KEEP ON ROCKIN AND REVIEWING, CAUSE I'LL HANDLE THE ROLLING!


	4. Planning

**Shoutouts: To Psychopathic Jester: **Thank you, but I'm sorry if you feel that I lack detail, but I'm not all that big on detail, as long as the main point shines through. As for character description, I pretty much assumed (I know that was wrong of me) that for the seven, everyone would remember back to the character models for the playable characters, everyone that's appeared in the game, remember what they look like, as for the unimportant OCs, they're not worthy of description, and for anyone that hasn't played the game, I don't give a shit if they don't know what anyone looks like (for those of you who haven't played the game, I'm sorry.)

**To Avatar of Fyre:** Yes, I am enjoying myself. But "I'm so ronry, so ronry, so ronry real sad real arone." (If you saw the movie "Team America" you'd know what that was about.) What's weird is, the last time I saw Cpt. Religious get along with d.p.h.g., the rabbits were pink camo. (I hate pink and I loath pink camo., it makes the much cooler _winter_ camo. look bad.) As for my gramatical errors, I must apologize, because when it comes to written word, I'm not exactly tidy all of the time...I'm only human, or at least look like one. As for the confusion, I am sorry but it was how I was taught to write.

**To Magnificent the Destroyer Lord: **Well it's nice that you think my banter is nice, unfortunatly not even I know of Diabra's powers, which is a stretch since I made him. BTB

**To Richardc269:** (once again in this update) I'm sorry for the spelling errors. Also, I have never ever used the paladin before, belive me when I say that's kinda sad, yet amazing. Plus, I'll remember what you told me...er, typed me.

**To everyone:** Damn you all, for making me apologize so much! The real reason I made so many mistakes is that, the voices in my head that I usually consult on such matters, are on vacation. So with all that said and done, here's the forth update.

x x x

Chapter four: Planning

When Tulwik, Leera, Vash and Cain arrived in Lut Gholein, they noticed, through all the cheers they had gained, that the people had lost some of their happiness. Almost as if they subconsiously knew about Diabra. Tulwik and co. had got a room at the inn, free of charge, before heading to the pub, except for Cain, who said that he'd go get some rest.

"I don't know how he's able to do it," Leera said, as she, Vash and Tulwik entered the pub, "Everytime when I slept on the beds they were either too sandy, too blood stained or to infested." She then saw her other team mates sitting at a table in the back, clearly not wanting to be disturbed by retelling their adventures to idiots who carry a sword and call themselves adventurers.

"You're late," Khali said, throwing a knife at a crudly made dartboard halfway across the room, as Tulwik Vash and Leera came over to the table.

"It wasn't our fault," Vash said, taking a seat next to Ishami, she had her mask off, revealing her beutiful young face yet extremly old, haunting, smokey eyes. She was wearing one of her four normal expressions, anger, intensity, incomplacent and disgust, at that moment it was incomplacent.

"What would you like to drink?" Atma asked the three new arrivals, but before they could answer, she continued, "We have nothing at all, except ale and water. If you want either of them to be cold, ask Moontear."

"Nice to see you too Atma. I'll take water." Leera answered, as Ishami threw a throwing star at the dartboard and declaring victory.

At this Atma looked at the faces of the three new arrivals and saw that they were not foolish, young story hunters as she first perceived, but, in fact, they were the three remaining members of The Great Seven. She then quickly set her tray down on the table, proceeded to give each of the new arrivals a huge hug and get their drinks of water.

After all greetings were made, Tulwik then saw a cut on Ishami's shoulder that looked to be slightly burnt. "How'd you get that?" he asked pointing at it. Ishami then recounted the event out at sea which had involved merpeople. She told him that after the battle Moontear dabbed volcano potion on her wounds.

"Hold on," Vash said, "if you got attacked under the water, then how did you get burnt?"

"Well," began Moontear, "a few years ago, Alkor and I created a chemical concoction called volcano potion. Not only is the blast radius of it, if thrown, three times that of the regular explosive potion, but it can also heal, disinfect, and cauterize deep or poisoned wounds. However, as a side effect it can sometimes burn the skin."

"Does it hurt?" Leera inquired.

"No," Moontear concluded.

"Okay, now that everyone's here, it's time to look at maps," Khali said, getting up and putting his throwing knives away. He then beckond his friends to follow him to and up the stairs, in the other back corner of the room.

When Khali's friends reached his room, it looked like the exact opposite of what they thought it to be. Instead of tidy to the point of anal retentivness, as they thought it to be, the room was in fact complete and total waste dump. Strewn across the floor were clothes, dull throwing knives, bones used for religious purposes, and even a few discarded undergarments from one or two of the girls from the local brothels.

"My god," Vash said awestruck, "we've killed demons that were cleaner than this."

However, Khali seemed to be unfazed by his friends surprise, this was proven by him, when he simply walked over the debris that happily comprised his room and to a desk in the back. His desk was no exception to the rest of the room, however it was covered with debris of a different kind. Instead of being covered with clothing, knives, bones and panties like the rest of the room, it adorned old books, atlases, building blueprints, etc. He then sat down at a chair in front of the desk, beckoned his friends forward, whilst he donned his spectacles and said, "Ever since that night Tyrael gathered us together, I've looked through the oldest books, maps, and scrolls. In both the palace library and The Arcane Sanctuary, trying to find out where Diabra shall begin his oppression of Sanctuary. So," he said pointing at one large unfurled map, "I think after much thought that I've found it. Since Diabra is comprised of The Three Prime Evils, he should at least share some of their personal traits. Now since Diablo and Baal had a preference towards speed and efficiantcy, that means there are two possible entrances from which they'll come, instead of making a new one. The one made by Andariel in the monastary and The Temple of Mephisto," at this Tulwik inhaled sharply, "Don't worry Tulwik, even though I'm a gambling man, I have never lost, ever. I'm banking on the chance that due to Baal's and Mephisto's somewhat dramatic actions, during the lives they lead, that Diabra shall make his grand entrance from Mephisto's temple. So if that is the case then, please direct your attention to this," Khali said as he pulled one of the blueprints from the floor. It showed the makings of a inexplicably beutiful temple. "This," Khali began again, "is the Claw Viper temple."

"Wait," Leera said, "I know value when I see it, and that temple wasn't worth two buckets of demon dung."

"Well of course the temple isn't worth anything now," Khali said, "I mean how well kept would your house be if you had pea-brained newts in charge of cleaning it and keeping from crumbling. Besides, do you think those lazy lizards would actually have the concentration, much less the intellect to build a temple that's not made out of twigs? My research has lead me to belive that the temple was once a means of expediant travel, predating the townportals themselves."

"And what makes you come to this conclusion, insult to the human race," Fenrier said.

"Because of this, pathetic excuse of a an imbecile, " Khali said, pointing to a sort of jagged pathline leading off the blueprints, "After reading from the diary of one of Lut Gholein's former settlement leaders-"

"Kings," Vash corrected.

"No," Khali said, "this information predates Lut Gholein actually being _made_ into a city. Now as I was saying, after reading the diary, I found out that the temple lead to an underground river. This supposed river can move nine times as fast as any ship that travels on the Twin Seas and it leads to the lower areas of Kurast. However, due to the to claw vipers, no one would have been able to clear away any large rocks that may have fallen in to the river, and as dark as it will be down there we won't be able to steer around them."

"Well since I can see in the dark," Ishami said, "the difficulty should, at least, be minimized, not drastically, but minimized just the same."

"Don't worry about it 'shami," Vash said, almost chuckling, "because I've a better idea."

"Then I'd like you to please share it with us," said Khali expectantly.

"Nope,sorry, that would ruin the suprise." This statement had severly annoyed Khali, for if there was one thing that got on his nerves, it was not knowing something that others around him did, espeacially when they flaunted it.

"Fine then suit yourself," Khali said snappishly.

"You know this may sound stupid," said Tulwik, speaking for the first time in hours, "one of my phycopathic ramblings probably, but since we are going into the Claw Viper Temple, then won't we run into oh, I don't know, something like a ton of incredibly vicious and pissed off claw vipers?"

"Actually," Khali said, "no. When we first went down there, we pretty much got the majority. Those who were left, ran off, afraid that we might come back, so the way's pretty much clear."

"Aside from the rocks, I have a feeling you arn't even near the hard part yet," said Fenrier, almost sighing.

"Actually, I belive I have," Khali said.

"No you haven't," Moontear interjected, "Unfortunatly, when we we're in Kurast last time, we didn't kill all that we're faithful to Mephisto. After we left, those who were left shelled themselves up in the oldest of tunnels and passage ways, making it impossible to get down there. So even if we do make it past the river, we'll still have to fight an army to make it to the surface."

"Well we've got nothing to worry about then!" Vash cried out.

"Of course," Leera agreed, "Last time I checked, that word dosen't apply to us anymore."

"That's absolutly right," Khali said, getting up and stretching, "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to support some of the thriving, local buissneses."

"Bastard," Fenrier spat out, as Khali made his way out of the room.

"Just remember, that by me going there, it puts food in women's mouths," Khali said, in mock compassion.

"Among other things," Tulwik chuckled.

"But of course," Khali said, as he shut the door, seeing as he was the last one to leave the room.

"So, what are you doing at here at this hour?" Leera asked Vash, several hours later that night, at the edge of the dock. "I don't see you with any other women, so that's a good sign."

"I'm swiming," Vash replied, as he stretched. And before any furthe inquires could be made, he dove into the ocean.

It was several minutes now since her husband had disappeared beneath the water's surface and Leera was becoming worried. Her anxiety increased when she saw the water churn slightly. Then everything seemed to to go in slow motion, suddenly something jumped out of the water, seemingly soaring above her, perfectly silhouetted in the moonlight. It looked like one of the orcas, that Tulwik told her about, except where it should be pure white, it was blood red, it had, what seemed to be, bone, sharpened to a blade, protruding from the flippers and fin, it's skin looked hard as hell too.

When it landed behind Leera, she already had her bow out, with an arrow at the ready. It's a good thing that Vash could shape-shift so fast, because when he was done changing back from a werewhale, an arrow whizzed past his head, leaving a nice cut on his right ear.

"God damn it!" Vash yelled, as he clasped his hand over his ear.

"Hey it's was your fault, trying to show off!" Leera yelled. With sparked an argument that lasted until both of them had gone to sleep, after seeing that Vash's injury was taken care of.

For once, one of Diabra's servants were happy to inform their master of recent news, in this case it was a cave leaper. In an incredibly shrill voice, the leaper spoke to it's master, "Master," the creature seemed to recoil under it's master's multi-colored gaze, "um, master, it seems that we have good news. Our eforts have proven successful at finding not one but two of them."

At these words, a minuite, creepy smile touched Diabra's face, he then said, "Two down, five to go."

x x x

I'm sorry it took so long for me to get this update up and running, but hey what can you do about it? I'll try to get the next up A.S.A.P. So as always, KEEP ON ROCKIN AND REVIEWIN CAUSE I'LL HANDLE THE ROLLING!


	5. The River

**Shoutouts:To Ilrery Cyciga:** Hooray! I'm not bad. Now all I've got to do is work my way up to good.

**To Avatar of Fyre and Ashes:**I thought you had nothing else to say. Oh well. As for Khali, it just kinda seemed right. Also, with Tulwik, you seem to forget that Ishami talks even less than Tulwik. Also, the angels, I feel, are more of the mirrored image of the prime evils. Tyrael --- Diablo, Izual --- Baal, and Hadriel --- Mephisto.

**To David 'Zhang':** Good for Murdoc...or God, depending on how you refer to him. You know you're probably right, but then again, it's how I write. So sorry.

**To everyone:**Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. And anything else that gives a flying freak, here's the next update.

x x x

Chapter Five: The River

The sun was burning bright the next morning. Too bright. Which ment a big problem, the seven tried to travel to the temple on foot, they would surely die. Thank god for Warriv. When Moontear saw this she went to buy three covered wagons from him, which would make her flat broke, however, not a single piece of gold passed out of her pocket, into his hands. For you see, he gave her the wagons, and some camels to pull them, for free. So with the means of safe travel sought to, she went to The Golden Jewel for breakfast with the others.

It was several minutes, before a woman came down out of Khali's room, thus leaving the pub hurridly, and several more minutes before Khali himself entered the pub.

"Bastard," Fenrier said, as Khali sat down, shoveling rice into his bowl, from the pot in middle of the table.

"It's understandable that you're angry," Khali said, "I mean I would be too, if I was your age and still a virgin." At this everyone, even Ishami, cast the paladin an extremly suprised look.

Then Fenrier cast a poisonous look towards Khali and said, "Quit staring, all of you, and eat your rice." The meal was then finished in complete and total, strenuous silence. But as the seven were leaving towards the wagons,acompanied by Cain, Fenrier punched Khali in the arm quite hard and it returned to the mutual, bickering relationship that they shared.

They departed, after many tearful hugs, best of lucks and good byes from Atma and a few brothel girls. Aside from having to kill a few beetle demons, which Khali had taken advantage of, by turning them into mages, the trip went rather smoothly.

It was dusk when the seven reached the Claw Viper Temple. Down, down, and further down they traveled until they reached a corridor blocked by several feet of rubble.

"Well this dosen't bode well," thought Cain out loud.

"Yes," agreed Khali, "Especially since this is the only trap-free route."

"Wait," Leera said, extremly exausted and angry, from walking for so long without coming across any fights or gold. "This **isn't** the fastest way to the river."

"I never said it was the fastest route, just the best," Khali said, as he examined the the rocks that blocked their path, "However, if you want to be impaled, roasted, drowned and torn limb from limb be my guest...We're going to have to dig through it."

"Let's just use the volcano potion, to blast through it," Vash suggested.

"I'm not exactly a genious," Tulwik began, "But even I know that using explosives in a temple that's hundreds upon hundreds of years old, is extremly stupid."

"Bravo," Khali said, clapping, "Now time to set off to digging. Ishami, I belive that we went through a tomb, dedicated to some of the people who built this place. Could you bring back some of their bodies and tools? Tulwik, hand me one of your hammers and we can get started. And Fenrier...just stand there and look pretty," At this Fenrier made a rude hand gesture, as everyone else set off to do their assigned tasks.

It was several days of work, before any true progress was made in the tunnel. Khali speculated that they had worked for nearly ten days since they had started by the time they broke through, and when they did they took one day of rest, after which, they continued on.

As they continued on the temple seemed to have no end to it's depth, just when it seemed that travesing into depths of the temple was a fruitless endeavor, they rounded a corner, as a result, they were met with blue light, and the sound of running water. They then ran hurridly down the set of stairs before them, rounded another corner, and walked into to the vast chamber that was the dock for the under ground river. It seemed to be more a work of art than a dock at all. There were several intricate paterns carved into the floors, walls and the ceiling. Other carving depicted gory battles long since past, some told of love, and some of the rules set down by many kings, during their rule. The majority of the carvings had gold thickly melted into them, and the light came from the crevices in the carvings.

At the sight of all the gold carvings, Leera went beserk. She snatched one of Tulwik's hammers, and began to use it to chisle out some of the gold in the walls. Her efforts proved useless, but she continued on anyway. She didn't stop, until Khali informed her that there was a spell cast upon the walls, to protect it from materialists like her.

They then made their way over to a dock. And as they selected the three sturdiest rafts, Moontear said, "What's causing the light?"

"Well," Cain began, "My best guess is...mushrooms."

"Mushrooms?" Leera said skeptically.

"Yes," Khali said, "We use the same trick back home."

"Now that _is_ amazing," said Fenrier. "I didn't know that there was place, besides hell, that could hold so many demons."

"You know," Khali started, "I said the exact same thing about _idiots_, when I heard about your home in Westmarch."

"Once you two girls are done making out," Vash said, "I have to tell you something." Once he had everyone attention, he said, "I'm about to turn into something called a werewhale, so when I come out of the water, **don't attack me**. I didn't tell Leera this last night, and that's how I got this," he said as he pointed at his bandaged up ear. He then sent out a whistle, it first sounded icredibly low, then unbelivably high. Then, out of no where, his animals appeared at his side. And as the animals piled into several different stone boats, Vash dove into the water, and arose, in the form of a werewhale.

The other seven then attached several ropes to Vash, and tied the other ends to the boats they'd be using. After loading up the boats, with supplies, ammo, etc., they gave Vash the order to go, and thus, they were off.

It was several hours later, when Ishami pulled her head up from her latest fit of vomiting, Khali said, "Why don't you get Moontear, or some other form of mage, to take care of those tedious ailments of yours?"

Ishami then replied, "In the words of Vash, 'not just no, but **hell** no,' okay."

"You know, it's funny," Tulwik said, "You're probably the most dangerous out of all of us, but you have things like motion sickness, and sea sickness."

"Not to mention you're allergic to dogs," Leera added.

"As much as I would like to continue this conversation, on my medical status," Ishami cut in, "we've got trouble." And it was true, for just down the river, jumping from wall to wall, were cave leapers.

"Well, hey, that's great," Leera said, sarcastically, "Oh, here's some more bad news, I CAN'T F$#ING SEE!" they had long since left the glow of the mushroom covered walls behind, and the walls had become narrow.

"Wait, hold on!" Moontear said. She picked up her battle staff and used inferno, sending the fire straight up, illuminating the dark, narrow tunnel, revealing over fifty cave leapers.

Then everyone that could, began to attack to the best of his, her, or it's ability. Vash's ravens took flight, pecking at cave leapers, the two mages Khali conjured up in the desert, began to shoot out random magical energy bolts.Fenrier used blessed hammer, Tulwik began to use throwing axes, Leera used the Strafe tecnique, Khali used teeth to attack multiple enemies, and Ishami used a Phycic Hammer, Mind Blast combo. Each technique they used would send several leapers into, the now, churning waters of the river.

However, even in their united efforts, some cave leapers still managed to make it within jumping range of the heroes. Once there, they attacked the thing they were closest to, Vash. They used their claws to ddig into the thick blubber of his back, and proceeded to hack away at the flesh, this of couse, enraged his wife.

She then began to fire arrows repeatedly with amazing speed. Saying, as she shot and reshot, "GET... THE... F$#... OFF... HIM... YOU... UGLY... MOTHER... F$#ERS!"

Even at the rapid pace at which the cave leapers were dying, if the fight didn't end in the next few moments, Vash would die. It was then that Khali had an idea, which was quickly followed by the little voice in his head, that warned him when he was about to do something stupid. Now it was telling him, he was about to do something extremly stupid. "Tulwik! Chuck me at them!"

Tulwik then grabbed Khali, and flung him into the heart of the demonic force. It was there, that Khali used Poison Nova to kill all of the remaining leapers. Khali then hit the churning water, and he heard a sickening crack, as a rock he bumped into, broke his left arm. And just as he was about to be sucked up by the undertoe, and drown, he felt something jab his left hand. Acting quickly, he then spun around in the water and grab onto it. He was then pulled up out of the water, to meet the smiling face of Fenrier.

"Don't die yet," Fenrier said, "I might have to use your body as a sheild."

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I'm so sorry this update is so short and it took me so long to type up, so don't review too badly. But as always, KEEP ON ROCKIN AND WRITTING, CAUSE I'LL HANDLE THE ROLLING!


	6. The Great Smokeoff

**To everyone**:I basicly added this chapter in the spirit of the holiday season. It's a gift for all who read it, so enjoy. I am going to answer any reviews for this and the last chapter in my next update. Also I did not write this, so I do not claim ownership of it, so if there are any lawyers out there, if you sue me, it'll be a waste of your time, I'm pretty much a bum, so there. Oh, and enjoy!

**x x x**

**The Great Smoke-off**

**by**

**Shel Siverstein**

**x x x**

In the laid back California town of sunny San Rafael,

lived a girl named Pearlie Sweetcake, you probably know her well.

She'd been stoned fifteen of her eighteen years, and her story's widely told,

of she can smoke 'em faster than anyone can roll.

Well, her story finally reached New York, on that Grove Street, walk up flat,

where dwelt the Calistoga Kid, a beatnik from the past.

He'd been rolling dope since time began, and as he took a cultured toke,

he said, "Jim, I can roll 'em faster than any **chick** can smoke."

Well a note finally reaches San Rafael, for the championship of the world.

The Kid demands a smoke-off! "Well bring him on!" says the Pearl.

"I'll grind his fingers off his hands, he'll roll until he drops!"

Says Calistog, "I'll smoke that chick 'til she blows up and pops!"

So they rent out Yankee Stadium, and the word is quickly spread.

"Come one, come all, who walk or crawl, tickets just two lids a head."

And from every town and hamlet, over land and sea they speed.

The world's greatest doper's, with the world's greatest weed.

Hashishers from Morocco, Hemp smokers from Peru,

and Shashniks from Bagun, (who smoke the deadly Pu-gar-oo).

From those who call it "light of life", to those that call it "boo".

See the dealers and their ladies wearing turquoise, lace and leather.

See the narcos and the closet smokers puffin' all together.

From the teenies who smoke legal, to those who've done some time.

To the little old man, that smoked reefer, back before it was a crime.

And the grand old house that Ruth built is filled with the smokes and cries,

of fifty thousand screaming heads, all stoned out of their minds.

And they play the national anthem, and the crowed lets out a roar,

as the spotlight hits the Kid and the Pearl, ready for their smokin' war.

At a table piled up high with grass, as high as a mountain peak,

just the rarest tops, of the rarest flowers, not one stem, branch or seed.

I mean Mowie Powie, Panama Red, Acapulco Gold,

some Kif from East Afghanistan, and that rare Alska Cold.

Sticks from Thailand, Ganj from the Islands, and Bangkok's Blooming Best.

And some of that wet imported shit, that capsized off Key West.

Oaxacan tops, and Kenya Bhang, and Riviera Fleurs.

And that rare Manhatten Silver, that grows down in the New York sewers.

And there's bubblin' ice cold lemonade and sweet grapes by the bunches.

And there's Hershey bars, and Oreos, incase anybody gets the munchies.

And the Kid, he laughs, and Pearlie, she just grins.

And the drums roll low, and the crowd yells, "GO! GO! GO!" and the worlds first smoke off begins.

The Kid flicks his fingers once and ZAP! that first joint's rolled.

Pearl takes one hit with her mighty lungs and WHOOSH! that roach is cold.

Then the Kid rolls his super bomb, that would paralyze a moose.

Pearly takes one mighty hit and POW! that bomb's defused.

Then he rolls three in ten seconds and she smokes 'em up in nine.

And everybody sits back and says, "Hey, this just might take some time."

See the blur of flyin' fingers, see the red coal burnin' bright,

as the night turns into mornin', and the mornin' fades to night.

And autumn turns to summer and a whole damn year is gone!

The two sit on that roach filled stage, smokin' and rollin' on.

With tremblin' hands, he rolls his jays, with fingers blue and stiff.

She coughs and stares with bloodshot gaze, and puffs through blistered lips.

As she reaches out her hand,s for another stick of gold,

the Kid gasps, "Damn it bitch, there's nothing left to roll!"

"Nothing left to roll!" screams the Pearl, "Is this some twisted joke!

I didn't come here to f$# around, man, I came here to SMOKE!"

And she reaches a cross the table, and grabs his bony sleeves.

And she crumples his body between her hands, like dry and brittle leaves,

flickin' out his teeth and bones, like useless stems and seeds.

And then she rolls him in a zig zag and lights him like a roach.

And the fastest man, with the fastest hands, goes up in a puff of smoke.

In the laid back California town of sunny San Rafael,

lived a girl named Pearlie Sweetcake, you probably know her well.

She'd been stoned twenty-one of her twenty-four years, and her story's **still** widely told.

Of how she can **still** roll 'em faster then any **dude** can roll.

While off in New York City, on a street that has no name,

there's the hands of the Calistoga Kid, in the Viper Hall of Fame.

And underneath his fingers there's a little golden scroll

that says, "Beware of being the roller, when there's nothing left to roll."


End file.
